Front-drive tractor.



F. M. VANDERVOORT.

FRONT DRIVE TRACTOR. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27, 1912.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FRANCIS MARIQN VANDERVOORT, OF FREDONIA, KANSAS.

recur-brawn rnacron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

Application filed December 27, 1912. Serial No. 738,817.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Framers MARION VANDERVOORT, citizen of the United States, residing at Fredonia, in the county of l/Vllson and State of- Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Front- Drive Tractors, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a fron drive tractor, and has for its object to pro-- vide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby the tractor maybe turned around as sharply as desired, thereby enabling it to be advantageously employed for drawing plows o harvesting machinery, since it may be run clear'up into the corners of the field and then turned sharply around, substantially the same as would be possible with horses.

A further object of t. inyention isto provide a tractor which is strong and compact in its construction, which enables prac ticall all of the weight to be placed upon the rive wheel, and which can be easily steered and controlled b the driver.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention,

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a front drive tractor constructed in accordance with the invention, the drive or traction wheel being shown in section and parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the front drive tractor, parts being broken, away and shown in'section. Fig. 3 is a similar view looking at the machine from the opposite side thereof. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the clutch mechanism which controls the steering device, and Fig. 5 is a detail View of a portlon of the gearing for steering the machine.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the Views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Specifically describing the present embodiment of the invention,-thenumeral 1 wheel 6.

designates the main frame of the machine,

the said frame being substantially circular in shape'and being providedat the rear thereof with an extension 1 upon which the axle 2 is mounted. This axle 2 is provided at the ends thereof with the usual support ing wheels 3, and the extension 1 of tl'ie' frame is formed with a coupling member a by means of which the tractor can be readiiy connected to a plow, piece of farming ma chinery or the like.

A horizontal frame 4:

is mounted upon themain frame 1 to turn 1 about a vertical axis, the said horizontal frame carrying the engine 5 and traction In the present instance the circular portion of the main frame 1 is formed of channel iron so as to provide a track upon the interior thereof, and the horizontal frame 4 is provided at the corners thereof 8 are journaled, the said guide wheels engaging the channeled track of the circular frame of the tractor. I

.The traction wheel 6 surrounds the englue 5 and is provided at the middle thereof with an inwardly facing annular rack 9,

and at each edge thereof with an inwardly facing track or guideway 10. v'llhe two annular tracks 10 are engaged by guide rollers 11 arranged at opposite sides of the hori-f zontal frame 4. In the resent instance there are three of these guide rollers 11 on I frame 4;, while the third and upper guide wheel of each set is 'jo urnaled upon a bracket 13 which projects upwardly from the frame 4;. With these guide wheels 11 engaging the peripheral tracks 10 at each edge of the traction wheel Git will be 0b:

vious that the said traction wheel is 'perfectly free to rotate about a horizontal axis although it is held securely against lateral displacement,

The annular rack 9 upon the interior of the traction wheel 6 is enga ed by a drive pinion 14 upon a shaft 15 WlllOh'lS journaled in bearings 16 upon a bracket 17 which is rigid with the horizontal frame l. One end of the shaft 15 is provided with a beveledgear'wheel 18 which meshes with a pair of beveled gear wheels 19 loose upon an inclined shaft 20. Thisinclined shaft 20 is journaled within suitable bearings 21 and 1s connected by the bevel gearing '22 to a 75, with the brackets 7 upon which guide wheels counter-shaft 23 running parallel to the engine shaft 24 and connected thereto by the usual speed changing gearing 25. The outer end of the countershaft 23 is provided with same as the traction wheel is turned to the right or to the left. A clutch member 30 which has a feather and spline connection with the. shaft 20 is arranged between the two gear wheels 19 and is adapted to be moved into a positive engagement with either of the :said gear Wheels by means of a lever 32, the said lever being connected to the clutch member by a link 33. Owing to the arrangement of the various gear wheels, it will be obvious that when the clutch member 30 is thrown into engagement with one of the gear wheels 19, the traction wheel will be driven in one direction, while when the clutch member is moved into engagement with the opposite gear wheel the traction wheel will be driven in the reverse direction, one of the gear wheels l9 being locked with the shaft 20 while the other gear wheel is loose upon the said shaft.

It is also contemplated to provide means for steering the machine, and for this purpose the exterior of the circular main frame 1 is provided with an annular rack 34, the said rack being engaged by a pinion 3-7 rigid witha sleeve 35 which is loose upon a short vertical shaft 36, said shaft 36 being carried by a bracket 37 of the horizontal. frame 4. A pin 36 at the lower end of the stub shaft 36 serves to hold the sleeve 35 in position upon the said shaft 361' The app-er end of the vertical sleeve 35* is provided with a worm gear 38 which meshes with a worm 39 upon a horizontal shaft 40, the said horizontal shaft being journaled Within suitable bearings 41 and being provided at the end thereof with a bevel gear wheel This bevel gear 4:2 meshes with a pair of similar bevel gear wheels 43 which are loose upon the engine shaft. A suitable clutch member 44 which has a feather and spline connection 45 with the engine shaft is mounted between the'two bevel gear- Wheels 43 and is adapted to be moved into a frictional engagement with either of the said gear wheels, or to be locked in an intermediate and inoperative position. This clutch member 44 has an operative connection with the hand lever 46 through the medium of the link 47 and lever 48. When the clutch member 44 is in an intermediate position, both of the bevel gear wheels 43 will be loose upon the engine shaft, and by moving the clutch member to lock either of the said gear wheels with the shaft, the steering shaft 40 may be rotated in either direction. WVhen the steering shaft 40is rotated, the pinion 35 is caused to travel around the circular main frame 1 upon the rack 34, the horizontal frame 4 and traction wheel 6 being thus turned about a vertical axis so as to steer the machine. When the pinion 35 turns in one direction, the traction wheel 6 is turned to one side, while when the pinion 35 is turned in the opposite direction, the traction wheel. 6 is turned to the other side. Very sharp turns can be made, and if. desired the traction wheel 6 can be turned entirely around within the circular frame 1. This is of very reat im portance where the tractor 1s emp oycd for farm purposes, since in order to adapt the tractor for use 1n connection with plows or the like, it is necessary that very sharp and frequent turns bepossible. Furthermore, substantially all of the driving mechanism is arranged within the traction wheel 6 so as to center theweight at the desired point.

Having thus described the invention,what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A tractor including a main frame, 'a horizontal frame'adapted to turn about a verticalaxis, the said main frame being formed with a curved track which is concentric with the vertical axis of the horizontal frame, guide means upon the horizontal frame engaging the track of the main frame, a hollow traction wheel through which the horizontal frame extends, said traction wheel being provided upon opposite sides thereof with annular guide ways and being also provided with an interior annular rack, rollers carried by the horizontal frame and engaging the said guide ways of the traction wheel to admit of the traction wheel turning freely about a horizontal axis, a pinion carried by the horizontal frame and meshing with the interior rack of the 'traction wheel, and means for driving the pinion.

2. A tractor including a main frame, a horizontal frame adapted to turn about a vertical axis, .the said main frame being formed with a curved track/which is con centric with the vertical axis of the horizontal frame, guide means upon the horizontal frame engaging the track of the mam frame,

a hollow traction wheel through which the horizontal frame extends, said traction wheel being provided upon the interior thereof with a pair of annular guideways, rollers carried by the horizontal frame and engaging the said guideways of the traction wheel to admit of the traction wheel turn-- ing freely about a horizontal axis, an engine mounted upon the horizontal frame and arranged within the hollow traction wheel, and gearing between the engine and traction wheel.

3. A tractor including a main frame, a horizontal frame adapted to turn about a vertical axis, said main frame being formed with a curved track which is concentric with the vertical axis of the horizontal frame, guide means upon the horizontal frame for engaging the track of the main frame, a hollow traction wheel through which the horizontal frame extends, said traction wheel being provided upon the interior thereof with a pair of annular guideways, guide rollers carried by the horizontal frame and engaging the said guideways to admit of the traction wheel turning freely about a horizontal axis, an annular rack' upon. the traction wheel, a bearing carried by the horizontal frame, a shaft mounted in the bearing, a pinion carried by the shaft and engaging the rack of the hollow traction wheel, an engine mounted upon the horizontal frame and arranged within the hollow traction wheel, and gearing between the engine and the said shaft.

4:. A tractor including a main frame formed with a circular track, .a horizontal frame arranged within the circular track and adapted to turn about a vertical axis, guide members carried by the horizontal frame and engaging the said circular track, ahollow traction wheel through which the horizontal frame extends, said traction wheel being thereof with interior annular guideways, brackets projecting from the horizontal frame, guide rollers upon the braclr'ets for engaging the annular guidewa'ys to admit of the traction wheel turning freely about a horizontal axis, an annular rack upon the traction wheel, a pinion engaging the rack,

provided at opposite edges bearings carried by the horizontal frame, a shaft journaled' within the bearings and carrying the pinion, a second set of bearings upon the horizontal frame a second shaft journaled in the said bearings, reversible gearing between the said second shaft and the first shaft, an engine upon the'main frame, and changeable speed gearing between the engine and the second shaft.

5. A tractor including a main frame formed with a horizontall disposed circular track, a horizontal amearranged within the circular track and adapted to turn about a vertical axis, guide members carried by the horizontal frame and engaging the circular track, a hollow traction wheel through which the horizontal frame extends, said hollow traction wheel being provided at opposite-edges thereof with interior annular guideways, brackets projecting from the horizontal frame, rollers carried' by the brackets and engaging the annular guideways of the traction wheel so that the said traction wheel is adapted to turn freely about a horizontal axis, an engine mounted upon the horizontal frame and arranged within the hollow traction Wheel, a bearing carried by the horizontal frame an interior annular rack at the middie of the hollow traction wheel, a shaft journaled in the said bearing, a pinion carried by the shaft and engaging the rack, a second set of bearings carried by the horizontal frame, a second shaft journaled in the said second set of bearings, reversible gearing between the second shaft and the first shaft, and gearing between the second shaft and the engine.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses;

FRANCIS MARION VANDERVGQET. Witnesses:

. E. BAcHnLnEn,

.Maun B. Nansen. 

